Michael Jackson

Yesterday, we went to a church I had not visited before. It was a beautiful sanctuary and very nice compound. The music was inspiring kind of a rock band sound, and the congregation appeared fully in tune. As the pastor came on the stage, he spoke about greater things require greater faith. He also touched on John 14:12 (NIV):

I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

King James Version: John 14:12 (King James Version)
12Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

When I first study this scripture, it took a while for me to accept what was being said. If you believe in me (we are of God) you will do greater works than me. How powerful is that. Can we really do more than Jesus? It puts an expectation on us that I view as this:

1). Responsibility of the Word. We are expected to do great things, not to limit ourselves by our own chains of inadequacy.
2). It reveals that we are ultimately to be walking in the footsteps of our Lord and Savior. That nothing else should we settle for. Our daily walk should be of love, compassion and trust.

So as I was listening to the minister, a gentlemen was sitting next to my friend. Oh I forgot to tell you it was a predominately, no it was an all Caucasian church, and we were the only three people of color in the audience. Now mind you, as we walked in we were welcomed, and since my friend and son had been there before, they were recognized and greeted by a few. So, of course I am comfortable everywhere, but the gentlemen next to my friend was appearing to be a little antsy!
He kept looking at my friend. So I leaned forward and looked him in the eye - not with a grimace, but with a smile. He seemed embarrassed.

Uhm, I thought, do we have work to do.

So, as the minister is speaking on Faith, the promise, etc., he begins to speak about an $18 million project to build a new Children's ministry, an outdoor baptismal pool and another building with a coffee shop and computers. Comfortable I am not. $18 million? What could you do with $18 million? What happened to going into the other community, the one not so wealthy; where the ladies in the church did not carry Louis Vuitton $3,000 purses, but those that Jesus served also. The lost, the hopeless, the unloved? You know the one lost sheep? So, I listened praying that he would mention something to that effect; to provide scholarships to those children that did well but could not afford to go to college; build a shelter or transitional housing for the 1,000 of teens who are homeless in this influential city; drug rehab program, prison programs... I don't know am I misunderstanding with it means to be a Christian - that idea called Servitude? Am I just old fashioned to prefer the deliverance movement - the street ministries? Aren't those lost the ones we need to be sharing the blessings with? Well it bothered my spirit and I sat through and just prayed.

After that experience my renewal came by viewing "This Is It". The film was incredible. It showed Michael Jackson in what I believe was his true spirit - total love and compassion. His soft spoken and loving way was evident. Jeffrey Ortega who directed this spoke to Michael with such love, as did the entire crew. His spirit of love encircle and embraced all around him. It made me sad and I missed him even more. One of my favorite songs is 'Man in The Mirror" that is where it starts. That meaning also is found in James 1: 22-24

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror
24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.

It begins with us - we just have to be a doer.

So as we left the theatre, I thanked God for blessing us with someone who truly loved but was misunderstood. May You Rest in Peace, Michael.


God Loves You